Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a new bill extending the deadline for sexual harassment prevention training. Under SB 778, employers with five or more employees now have until Jan. 1, 2021, to complete the mandatory one- or two-hour employee trainings to be compliant.

With so much emphasis on the need for employers to establish written policies mandated by federal, state and local laws, it’s easy to overlook the important day-to-day employee management policies on everything from hygiene and smoking to use of personal electronic devices. Discussed below are four areas of employee conduct and attire expectations that you might consider addressing through a workplace policy, if you don’t already have one in place.

A new state law prohibits discrimination on the basis of hair textures or protective hairstyles that are historically associated with race. Senate Bill 188, also known as the CROWN Act, was signed in July by Gov. Gavin Newsom and will take effect Jan. 1, 2020. California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act was amended by the law to include in the definition of race “traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles.”

Eligible employers as of July 1 can now register for CalSavers, the state’s new retirement savings program for private sector workers. Employers are eligible to participate in CalSavers — a Roth IRA (after tax) — if they have five or more employees and do not already offer an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Employers pay no fees for participating in CalSavers.

Employers often struggle to balance the need for expanded practice hours to accommodate patient schedules and the costs associated with nonexempt employee overtime. In California, employers have the option to greatly reduce overtime costs by adopting an alternative workweek schedule. What exactly is an alternative workweek schedule, and is it good news for employees and employers?

A California Supreme Court ruling in 2018 that created a stricter standard for determining who meets the definition of “employee” applies retroactively, the Ninth Circuit held in a May 2, 2019, ruling. The decision means the “ABC” test created last year by the California Supreme Court will be applied to cases going forward, as well as to disputes dating back to before the new test was enacted.

CDA members have long been able to use the Sample Employee Manual template, available through CDA Practice Support, to build a customized employee manual. Now, they can also go online to generate one of the most essential HR tools for every practice — a manual that both informs employees about workplace rules and helps to protect dentists from potential lawsuits.

When it comes to your dental practice, one of the most important documents in your HR toolkit is your employee manual. Not only can definitive employee policies resolve disputes, but they can thwart issues before they arise, protecting both the employer and the employee from any sort of misperception and the potential for litigation.

Recently enacted laws require employers to provide sexual harassment prevention training, including a law that many California dentists will need to comply with by January 2020, as CDA previously reported. But while important, these laws are only a small part of the harassment prevention puzzle. Recognizing workplace conflict — and taking steps to reduce it — is an important piece of the puzzle.

Several state and federal agencies require dental practices to conspicuously display specific health, safety and employee rights information in the office. To help its members keep ahead of these posting requirements, CDA produces an easy-to-display poster set to reflect current regulations and compliance requirements. The 2019-20 Poster Set will be available this month and includes notices from the EDD, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and others.

Commonly, a dental practice will hire a temporary dental assistant, hygienist or front-office staff to fill in briefly for employee sick days, when the practice’s needs have increased or for an employee’s long-term leave of absence. CDA Practice Support finds that many employers are still puzzled about the requirements when hiring, classifying and properly paying these short-term employees.

A state law that took effect early this year requires that employers with five or more employees provide qualified sexual harassment prevention training no later than Jan. 1, 2020. Practice owners can achieve this new training requirement by registering their dental teams for one or two courses offered this May at CDA Presents in Anaheim.

Eight new or updated laws and regulations affecting dentistry and dental practice management took effect Jan. 1. To help ensure members are currently in compliance — and stay in compliance — CDA Practice Support offers summaries of the laws, including what they require and where to go for resources and support.

Implemented in July 2015, California’s mandatory paid sick leave policy requires nearly all employers to provide employees with protected paid sick leave. But if you’re still confused about how to comply with the requirements, rest assured, you’re not alone. CDA Practice Support continues to receive daily calls about compliance and employee management issues related to the state law. Here are the basics for employers.

Then-Gov. Jerry Brown last September signed a bill requiring California employers of five or more employees to provide expanded training on sexual harassment prevention to all of their employees by Jan. 1, 2020. Practically speaking, this means employers will need to complete the mandatory one- or two-hour trainings for employees in 2019 to be compliant by the January 2020 deadline.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2019, employers with 25 or fewer employees will pay California’s new minimum wage of $11 and employers with 26 or more employees will begin paying their employees $12. However, if the local minimum wage is higher than the state wage, employers of every size must pay the local minimum wage.

Four new laws make small but important clarifying changes to existing laws concerning salary history requests, Paid Family Leave expansion, lactation accommodation and defamation protection. But a fifth law significantly changes the requirements of mandatory sexual harassment training — including who must provide it and when and how it’s provided to employees.

All employers in California must meet workplace-posting obligations, which include printing and posting current mandatory notices where employees can see them. Employers should be aware of two required notices updated and released recently by the Employment Development Department and the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, as well as updated notices on transgender rights in the workplace, protection of safety and health on the job and more.

Employees who routinely work off the clock generally must be paid for their off-the-clock work, the California Supreme Court recently ruled. In dental practices, this situation might occur when an employee arrives ahead of scheduled work hours or when they stay past scheduled work hours to complete tasks.

Recent polls and research suggest that 50-80 percent of resumes submitted by job applicants contain false or inaccurate information about the applicants’ job history or qualifications. Employers who are not already conducting careful reference checks may be more inclined to do so when faced with such an alarming statistic. Checking references is a small step in the hiring process that can provide significant value to employers.

This September at CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry in San Francisco, The Spot Educational Theater will host free one-hour lectures nearly every hour on the hour beginning at 10 a.m. all three days of the convention. Among the scheduled lecturers are CDA Practice Support’s four analysts who provide expert guidance in the areas of dental benefits, employment practices, practice management and regulatory compliance.

Every employee’s employment life cycle ends eventually, whether due to resignation, retirement, termination or other reason. In the dental office, any employee who separates should do so in a structured and professional manner with minimum disruption to the patients, staff and practice. Still, depending on what triggers an employee’s departure, separation can be an awkward situation for employers to navigate. Such discomfort can be lessened if clear policies and practices are in place.

Four experienced CDA Practice Support analysts are available to assist members with matters related to dental benefit plans, employment law and human resources, regulatory compliance and practice management. These specialized experts provide one-on-one guidance by email and phone and speak on timely topics at CDA’s biannual education convention. Together they’ve developed a full library of online resources that they expand upon and update throughout the year.

The Supreme Court of California recently ruled that employers must ask themselves three questions as part of an “ABC” test to determine whether someone working for the company should be classified as an employee or an independent contractor. Dentists in California should be aware of the new guidelines as they are more narrow than what dentists may have been used to in the past.

Employees miss work for myriad reasons, but what happens when an employee is a no-show and has not communicated with the employer about his or her absence? There are no telephone calls, emails or texts — the employee has made no contact of any kind with the employer. While this can be a frustrating situation, it is not a “free ticket” to terminating the employee.

An individual was arrested in California in March for false representation as a dental hygienist and for making false claims for health benefits. According to additional information CDA obtained, the individual worked without a license in several dental offices in Northern California before her arrest. CDA offers the following article as a reminder to dentists to include license verification as a best practice for hiring and ongoing personnel management.

For many years, dental practice owners have treated associates and some registered dental hygienists as independent contractors. Practice owners need to be aware of updates to California laws that specifically pertain to independent contractors and that these laws have increased the penalties for the misclassification of workers.

Having an up-to-date, legally compliant manual can play a critical role in helping employers follow new employment laws and manage employees in the practice. CDA Practice Support is pleased to share that the Sample Employee Manual, a downloadable resource for members, has seen a transformation in 2018. Aside from a reorganization of the contents, the revised manual contains more than a dozen new and revised policies.

In their day-to-day practice, dentists and their teams must know and comply with federal, state and local laws — from the layered requirements of federal and state employment laws to the dentistry-specific California Dental Practice Act to local laws that enforce building codes. A first resource for dentists to help them navigate these laws is the Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists, updated and published in January by the CDA Practice Support experts.

Flooding and wildfire evacuations have become an all-too-common concern in California. Not only do employers and employees have personal concerns, but employers must also be mindful that obligations pursuant to state employment laws and other considerations do not stop in times of disaster. Safety and security, wage and hour laws and leave of absence have employers wondering what happens next.

While you may not suffer from metathesiophobia, the persistent and unwarranted fear of change, you might still get palpitations when leaving your “comfort zone.” Change can sometimes create feelings of anxiety and insecurity in even the most seasoned dentists and harmonious practice teams. See how proven change management principles can be applied within a dental practice.

To comply with the 2017 Tax Bill signed into law in December by President Donald Trump, the IRS on Jan. 11 issued revised tax withholding tables for employee paychecks. “Employers should implement the 2018 withholding tables as soon as possible, but not later than Feb. 15, 2018” states the IRS in Notice 1036, which provides “early release copies” of the percentage method tables for income tax withholding.

California law contains very specific requirements for the information employers must put on employees’ wage statements and imposes financial penalties on employers who don’t follow those requirements. Employers must know the legal requirements for wage statements and ensure that wage statements are compliant.

Regulatory changes have occurred since the printing of the 2017-18 CDA Required Poster Set. As of December 2017 the three changes are: an updated Wage Order 4-2001 to reflect increases in the state minimum wage; a “Transgender Rights in the Workplace” poster that must be posted beginning Jan. 1, 2018; and an updated “Safety and Health Protection on the Job” notice.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, the hourly minimum wage for employers with 25 or fewer employees will increase to $10.50 per hour. For employers with 26 or more employees, the minimum wage will increase to $11 per hour. Employers with exempt employees should evaluate employee salaries, as exempt employees in California generally must earn a minimum monthly salary of no less than two times the state minimum wage for full-time employment.

When planning a holiday party, one might carefully consider food, décor, entertainment and overall costs. And while choosing the party venue may be a key factor for the average host, it’s an even more essential element for practice owners to consider. It’s important that employers establish clear guidelines when organizing any work-related event. If care isn’t taken, practice owners can be held liable for misconduct.

As a member benefit, CDA Practice Support offers an easy-to-display poster set that contains all the latest health, safety and employee rights information practice owners need to post to comply with state and federal agency regulations.

Gov. Jerry Brown on Oct. 14 signed into law Assembly Bill 1008. This statewide “ban-the-box” law generally bars employers with five or more employees from asking an applicant to disclose conviction information until the employer has made a conditional offer of employment. If an employer later decides to revoke the offer based on an individual's criminal history, the employer must undertake a procedure called the “fair chance” process.

Jammed schedules, late patients, lunchtime meetings, excess overtime, early morning staff huddles, meal and rest break requirements: All can tempt practice owners to find myriad creative ways to manage employee costs. This article, part 2 of a two-part series, covers compensation for time worked; payment of overtime; meal and rest break requirements; and the requirements of paying for education and travel.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, employers of every size will be required to register with the Employment Development Department’s e-Services for Business and file all wage reports and employment tax returns and pay all contributions for unemployment insurance premiums electronically. The electronic filing requirements of Assembly Bill 1245 are intended to increase the accuracy and security of data and improve the processing speed of returns and payments.

Your practice needs the entire team to be sharp and focused for the schedule to run smoothly, so if you’ve ever had an employee show up in the morning unable to perform duties, you can expect to have both a hard conversation and a long day. The impact of an employee’s substance abuse on a practice extends beyond impaired performance and productivity.

Practice owners who are unfamiliar with complex labor laws or are not paying wages appropriately could be risking an unwelcome invitation to a wage and hour claim or lawsuit. It is important that employers review and understand the basic principles of wage and hour laws and follow both the federal standards and California laws that provide greater protections for employees.

In one handy place, CDA members can find the details, deadlines and resources they need to ensure their practice complies with upcoming laws and regulations. Check out “Are You in Compliance?” on the CDA Practice Support homepage.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on July 17 released a new Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Practice owners who are hiring or planning to hire employees soon may continue to use the current version of the Form I-9 or may choose to use the new version of the form through Sept. 16, but must begin using the updated Form I-9 beginning Monday, Sept. 18.

In addition to advice from experts on the business side of dentistry, CDA Practice Support provides a full online library of articles, guides, templates and tools. Check out five of the most popular resources this quarter and see how they can help make running your practice easier and more efficient.

Many employers are choosing to hire third parties to conduct background checks on applicants who have been offered employment. In addition, depending on the nature of the position and essential job functions, employers are requesting reports about an applicant's driving and criminal record. As of July 1, under the Fair Employment and Housing Council, there are additional legal limits on employers obtaining and using this type of information.

Many dentists dream of opening their own practices. And while they may have spent years refining their clinical skills, they are often less familiar with the business side of dentistry. This is especially true when it comes to employment law, an area of frequent claims against dental practice owners. Dentists should heed particular caution to the rules and regulations surrounding meal and rest periods.

A number of local minimum wage increases across California will take effect July 1, 2017. Eligibility rules may vary among these locations. Practice owners should review the individual city ordinances and follow posting requirements to be in compliance. Employers should update practice employee manuals and policies accordingly. Employers in the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles are also due to comply with local leave laws beginning July 1.

Offering health care reimbursement benefits for employees used to be commonplace; however, with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, these arrangements are no longer lawful. Employers who fail to meet the insurance reform requirements and continue this practice could face penalties of up to $100 per day for each affected individual. Now, this is changing with the new Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement.

The Dentists Insurance Company reports an increase in calls to the Risk Management Advice Line regarding heated political debates erupting in the office among both staff and patients. Today’s political climate is more tumultuous than ever, reaching a level of polarization that often spills into daily interactions. Individuals on all sides are emboldened to share their viewpoints. But like the holiday dinner table, a dental office is no place for political or religious discussions.

Practice owners who have questions about dismissing a patient, giving a refund or terminating an employee are not alone. The Dentists Insurance Company reports these are the top three risk management issues facing dentists today. In fact, these issues make up the majority of calls received through the Risk Management Advice Line. Following are real-life calls and recommendations offered by TDIC RM analysts.

When practice owners develop their employee manuals, they should take care when establishing an introductory or probationary period policy. These policies can create misunderstandings for employees if the employer does not clearly communicate the purpose of the policy to the new employee, whether it is for performance evaluation or benefits eligibility.

Members can rely on CDA Practice Support for assistance in navigating the business side of dentistry with ease. Toward this goal, Practice Support experts in the areas of dental benefits, regulatory compliance, practice management, human resources and employment law work throughout the year to draft, update and publish resources that currently number over 400. Locating these resources on cda.org is easy.

As a best practice, all California practice owners or employers should know the applicable wage order for their business and employees along with the regulations contained in it. Dental practices typically fall under Wage Order 4 — specifically, Order No. 4-2001. The California Department of Industrial Relations updated Wage Order 4-2001 to reflect the 2017 and 2018 increases in the state minimum wage and also updated meal and lodging credit amounts.

Addressing patients’ clinical needs is what every dentist is taught in dental school. What a dentist is not taught is how to run a small business with employees and how to navigate patients’ benefit plans. CDA Practice Support experts will be on-site at CDA Presents Anaheim, at the Member Benefits Center, to answer members’ questions about dental benefits, employment and regulatory issues. Additionally, each expert will present a free one-hour lecture at The Spot Educational Theater. Topics include the dental benefits grievance process, HIPAA compliance essentials and lesser known employment laws.

Many dentists manage risks in areas beyond clinical care. A telling example is the requirement for all employers to post workplace labor law notices, since failure to comply in this area alone can result in substantial fines. To assist members in the business ownership side of practice, CDA prints a full set of required posters every two years. The 2017-18 set is now available for distribution.

A strong relationship between the front and back office is a great value to every practice, yet it is often difficult to cultivate. How staff interacts with the patients is just as important as how staff interacts with each other. Learn how to bridge the gap between the front and back office at CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry in Anaheim. “The Winning Team — Front and Back Office” takes place Saturday, May 6, at The Spot on the exhibit hall floor.

Having a current employee manual should be a top priority for employers. It establishes the foundation for a successful employment relationship by defining practice values, behavioral expectations and workplace standards. An up-to-date “Sample Employee Manual” and “Practice Policy Revision Employee Acknowledgment Template” are available for CDA members.

Skilled employees lead to improved efficiency, which in turn results in more productive workdays for everyone — and better outcomes for patients. Still, most practice owners probably understand that success depends on more than the skills and abilities employees bring with them. Setting staff up for success requires effective hiring and onboarding; proper training and resources; and ongoing, open communication.

The National Cyber Security Alliance cites a surprising statistic: 60 percent of small businesses will close within six months of a cyberattack. And cybercriminals are more frequently targeting small businesses and organizations, which were once considered a lesser target. Now, cybercriminals exploit small businesses to gain access to bigger businesses through the distribution chain or payment portals.

The California Supreme Court on Dec. 22 issued an important decision in a case (Augustus v. ABM) involving the security guard industry. In its simplest form, the ruling stated that “… state law prohibits on-duty and on-call rest periods. During required rest periods, employers must relieve their employees of all duties and relinquish any control over how employees spend their break time.”

From displaying California's Whistleblower Protection notice to registering with CURES 2.0, dental practices were to comply with 12 laws and regulations that took effect in 2016. Presented here are summaries of these new laws and regulations along with explanations of what dentists must do to comply with them.

The Internal Revenue Service moved the annual deadline for filing copies of employees’ Form W-2, W-3 and certain forms reporting nonemployee payments to independent contractors with the Social Security Administration. The new deadline of Jan. 31 was established to make it easier for the IRS to legitimize tax returns and spot errors in order to reduce fraud and improper payments.

Dental practices that are required to comply with Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act must complete and submit to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services the Assurance of Compliance form. HHS 690 can be downloaded, completed and mailed or completed and submitted online.

Many California employees will begin earning a new minimum wage on Jan. 1, 2017, per legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in April. Under the new state law, dental practice owners with 26 or more employees must begin paying a minimum wage of $10.50. Practice owners with 25 or fewer employees have an additional year to comply with the law.

A federal judge in Texas on Tuesday, Nov. 22, issued a nationwide injunction blocking implementation of the U.S. Department of Labor's Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rule concerning overtime pay for certain employees who are currently classified as exempt from overtime. The injunction follows lawsuits filed by multiple states and business groups.

As requests for time off increase during the holiday season, understanding the laws that govern holiday pay and observing a few best practices will go a long way toward maintaining an efficient and harmonious office. Here are key state laws and best practices to observe in the dental office.

Practice owners who are hiring or planning to hire new employees soon should use the newest version of the Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The new form clarifies several points of confusion for employees and employers and is designed to be easier to use.

Dentists participating as providers in the Denti-Cal program, along with provider entities who have received “meaningful use” funding from HHS and those dentists who participate as Medicare Part C plan providers, should be fully complying with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights’ final rule concerning Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.

When it comes to missed opportunities in small businesses, one cannot blame small business owners if, as the saying goes, “they don’t know what they don’t know.” When the small business owner is a dentist, a couple of common areas of missed opportunity include new patient experience and retention of active patients.

Employers are required to post a notice 10 days prior to an election advising employees of provisions for taking paid leave for the purpose of voting in statewide elections. The notices should be posted where employees congregate most often, or where employees enter and exit the workplace.

Setting expectations for employees at any business is important for overall operations. The same applies to a dental practice. Confusion and frustration can arise when dentists don’t provide an updated employee manual and proper job descriptions and establish a system for accountability.

For practice owners, hiring competent, qualified and properly licensed staff is a key responsibility. Should it be discovered that an employee is practicing without a license, there are serious repercussions for both the unlicensed employee and the practice owner, for example. However, sometimes the requirements as an employer are murky, and tasks associated with hiring can get pushed to the back burner.

Now, in one handy place, CDA members can find the details, deadlines and resources they need to ensure their dental practice is in compliance with upcoming laws and regulations. On the main Practice Support webpage, the new “Are You in Compliance” section lists laws and regulations that dental practices will need to comply with.

CDA has developed California-specific resources to assist dentists in meeting the Oct. 16 deadline for compliance with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights’ final rule concerning Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2017, employers with 10 or more employees will be required to register with the Employment Development Department’s e-Services for Business and to file all wage reports and employment tax returns and pay all contributions for unemployment insurance premiums electronically. All employers will be required to register and file under this new law beginning Jan. 1, 2018.

Drama in the workplace creates an energy-draining work environment that no one enjoys. In the dental office, gossip can run at high levels if the owner dentist has not set standards and policies that prohibit this type of behavior.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights issued a final rule recently that seeks to improve patient access to quality, affordable health care by prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability; enhancing language assistance for individuals with limited English proficiency; and protecting individuals with disabilities.

One of the issues dental team members can face is finding the right time to take a meal or rest break. The busy day, especially for smaller practices with a small staff, sometimes doesn’t leave a lot of time to easily take a break.

Employee classification is an important and complex piece of being a business owner, and that applies to dentists who own a practice. By a general principle, exempt employees possess management and decision-making responsibilities as a majority of their essential job functions (51 percent minimum).

CDA Practice Support is designed to help dentists navigate the business side of dentistry with ease, and it is chock-full of valuable resources to help them run their practices. Check out the top five trending CDA Practice Support resources in the categories of practice management, employment practices, dental benefit plans and regulatory compliance.

The U.S. Department of Labor released new Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rules that require employers to pay overtime to exempt employees who earn salaries less than $47,476 per year, beginning Dec. 1, 2016.

Building an effective and cohesive dental team takes a concerted effort. It takes hard work, patience, courage and persistence, but if it is done right it can give a dental practice a competitive advantage, as some offices struggle to build cohesive teams.

One of the most potentially challenging situations dentists can face in their practices is managing employee leaves of absence. A new mom requesting additional leave after pregnancy leave has already been exhausted. An employee presenting a doctor’s note indicating the need for an undefined period of time for a medical condition.

Managing the ins and outs of running a business and keeping track of changing state laws can be a challenge for many small-business owners, including dentists. CDA Practice Support offers clarity to its member dentists by providing resources and addressing issues, like overtime pay and implementing an alternative workweek for employees, which can be difficult to navigate.

Between the recruiting strategy, interviewing and training, there is a lot that goes into hiring a new employee in a dental practice. However, a key piece of the process happens before any of that. Developing a good job description happens even before a position is open. Every current employee should have an updated, accurate job description for their duties in the practice.

California’s Fair Employment and Housing Council adopted amendments to its Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) regulations effective April 1. These amendments, which generally apply to employers of five or more employees, require employers to develop and distribute antidiscrimination, antiharassment and complaint investigation policies.

Clarifying amendments to California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA) regulations are in effect on April 1. Employers are required to post two new workplace notices as part of their responsibilities under both amended regulations.

You’ve provided the education, a catered lunch and blocked out the time for you and your team. Now you’re wondering what else you should provide when it comes to continuing education events for employees — most likely, compensation.

Abuse represents a spectrum of behavior. It is repetitive in nature and fatal abuse is often preceded by minor manifestations of maltreatment, which could be overlooked by dentists and their staff. Under California law, each person licensed by the Dental Board of California and Dental Hygiene Committee of California is a “mandated reporter” for known or suspected abuse or neglect of a child, elder or dependent adult and incidents of violence.

As a result of recently passed legislation, dental practices now have more of an obligation to make patient records available in legal cases. If an attorney at law or his or her representative presents a written authorization signed by an adult patient, the patient’s legal representative, a parent or guardian of a minor, or the heir or personal representative of a deceased patient, a dental practice must promptly make all of the patient’s records under its custody or control available for inspection and copying by the attorney or their representative.

CDA Practice Support is designed to help dentists navigate the business side of dentistry with ease, and it is chock-full of valuable resources to help them run their practices. Here are the top five trending CDA Practice Support resources in the categories of practice management, employment practices, dental benefit plans and regulatory compliance.

Dentists need to be aware that there are two new posters that must be printed and posted in their dental offices. The orange and gray set of required posters, which are printed by CDA and provided by local component dental societies, was published and distributed to members in May 2015. However, for 2016, there have been updates that need to be incorporated into the existing poster sets until new poster sets are available in the spring of 2017.

After claiming the top spot in the nation's job rankings last year, dentists now hold three of the top spots of 2016, according to U.S. News & World Report. It ranks orthodontist and dentist No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in its 100 Best Jobs of 2016. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon ties with obstetrician and gynecologist at No. 10.

The new California sick leave law took effect on July 1, 2015, requiring nearly every employer in the state, including dentists, to allow all of its employees at least three paid sick days each year. The law provides that employees receive an hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Now that offices have policies in place, questions have arisen from dentists regarding how to handle sick leave accruals as of Jan. 1.

CDA is helping member dentists meet today's challenges of practicing the way they want, providing excellent care to their patients and giving back to their communities. Here are highlights of those achievements in 2015.

CDA Practice Support is designed to help dentists navigate the business side of dentistry with ease, and it is chock-full of valuable resources to help them run their practices. Here are the top 10 CDA Practice Support resources of 2015 in the categories of practice management, employment practices, dental benefit plans and regulatory compliance.

From the perspective of a practice owner, choosing a professional associate may be one of the most important decisions that dentist will ever make. This choice will affect the staff, the well being of the practice, and the welfare of the patients. Many practice owners decide to take on an associate with the goal to offer extended hours, gain clinical support and companionship, provide mentorship and allow for the sharing of ideas on complicated cases, work toward retirement and relieve the owner of some of the patient load and help grow the practice. But before any of that begins, an interview must take place.

With the holidays upon us, some dentists and their staff may begin to think about time off. With this in mind, understanding employment laws related to holiday pay is important. CDA Practice Support has compiled four tips dentists should consider in terms of holiday pay.

CDA Practice Support is designed to help dentists navigate the business side of dentistry with ease, and it is chock-full of valuable resources to help them run their practices. Here are the top five trending CDA Practice Support resources in October in the categories of practice management, employment practices, dental benefit plans and regulatory compliance.

Between developing a job description and salary, posting the job, screening resumes and setting up interviews, a lot goes into recruiting a new employee for a dental practice. For working relationships to be successful, both the employer and employee have to find the right match. To help determine the right match, CDA Practice Support has compiled five tips for what to look for in a candidate.

CDA Practice Support is designed to help dentists navigate the business side of dentistry with ease, and it is chock-full of valuable resources to help them run their practices. Here are the top five trending CDA Practice Support resources in the categories of practice management, employment practices, dental benefit plans and regulatory compliance.

CDA Practice Support is designed to help dentists navigate the business side of dentistry with ease, and it is chock-full of valuable resources to help them run their practices. Here are the top five trending CDA Practice Support resources in the categories of practice management, employment practices, dental benefit plans and regulatory compliance.

Workers’ compensation covers a broad and multifaceted legal spectrum, but a few essential practices can help dentists manage an employee injury at work. Key considerations include reporting the injury right away, authorizing medical care, avoiding judgment about the injury, maintaining open communication with the injured employee and treating the injured employee fairly.

A new bill has been signed by Gov. Jerry Brown to clarify and simplify requirements under the new sick leave law in California, which went into effect July 1 and requires employers to provide three paid sick days each year to their employees. AB 304, which became effective July 13, does not change the three-day sick leave law, but is intended to alleviate some of the difficulties in implementing its requirements.

CDA Practice Support is designed to help dentists navigate the business side of dentistry with ease, as it is chock-full of valuable resources to help them run their practices. Here are the top five trending CDA Practice Support resources this month in the categories of practice management, employment practices, dental benefit plans and regulatory compliance.

The new sick leave law requires nearly every employer in California to allow all of its employees at least three paid sick days each year. The law provides that employees receive no less than an hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. One of the misconceptions among dentists is that they must pay for the time up front, if the time is provided as a lump sum (three days, front-loaded).

The effective date for employers to begin providing mandatory sick leave to all employees has arrived (July 1), and in addition to updating policies, dentists must also distribute a new/updated employee notice by July 8.

CDA Practice Support is designed to help dentists navigate the business side of dentistry with ease, as it is chock-full of valuable resources to help them run their practices. Here are the top five trending CDA Practice Support resources this month in the categories of practice management, employment practices, dental benefit plans and regulatory compliance.

Employee discipline is one of the hardest, but necessary, components of practice ownership and employing staff. It's human nature to avoid confrontation. As a leader, it's important to set the ground rules from the first day of employment. Creating an atmosphere of collaboration, mutual respect and trust early on can reap long-term rewards for the employee, the dentist as the employer and ultimately the practice.

Not only must dentists stay up to date on advances in technology, they must also stay current on ever-changing employment laws. As owners or partners of practices, employee issues will always be of concern and importance to dentists. A pregnant employee usually prompts many questions and concerns in the office, for the dentist and the staff as well as the employee herself. It is best to know how to handle these situations before they arise.

With the impending July 1 deadline for employers to begin providing mandatory sick leave to all employees, CDA Practice Support has answers to top questions you’ve been asking about how the law applies to your practice. The new law requires nearly every employer in California to provide all of its employees paid sick days each year.

CDA Practice Support is designed to help dentists navigate the business side of dentistry with ease, as it is chock-full of valuable resources to help them run their practices. Here are the top five trending CDA Practice Support resources this month in the categories of practice management, employment practices, dental benefit plans and regulatory compliance.

The effective date for employers to begin providing mandatory sick leave to all employees is July 1, or on the first day of employment for new employees — whichever is later. The new law requires nearly every employer in California to allow all of its employees at least three paid sick days each year. Here is what dentists need to know.

Many dental practices, because of their small size, may not be required to provide benefits to employees under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the California Family Rights Act. However, there may be other laws that do apply to employee leave. We have listed the four types of leaves for baby bonding/pregnancy that dentists and their staff should be aware of as well as a description of who is eligible and the amount of leave available under each type.

CDA Practice Support is designed to help dentists navigate the business side of dentistry with ease as it is chock-full of valuable resources to help them run their practices. Here are the top five trending CDA Practice Support resources this month in the categories of practice management, employment practices, dental benefit plans and regulatory compliance.

CDA has mailed updated employment poster sets to local dental societies for distribution to members. Several state and federal agencies, including the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, California Employment Development Department and California Department of Industrial Relations, require employment posters to be conspicuously displayed in dental offices. To check on the mailing status of their complimentary employment poster set, dentists should contact their local dental societies.

CDA’s 2015 Sample Employee Manual provides a specific template that practices can incorporate into their own employee manuals. The “Social Networking” section of CDA’s Sample Employee Manual features language that dentists can add such as specifying that only authorized individuals are allowed to represent the practice on social media and when employees can use their own devices for personal social media purposes.

CDA Practice Support is designed to help dentists navigate the business side of dentistry with ease as it is chock full of valuable resources to help them run their practices. We've compiled the top five trending CDA Practice Support resources this month in the categories of practice management, employment practices, dental benefit plans and regulatory compliance.

While working interviews may seem ideal, and many employers offer potential candidates the opportunity to work in their office and “show their stuff,” the process is more complex. Each candidate must be added to your payroll. You can provide them a check at the end of the workday, but in the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor, they are each full-fledged employees and you must ensure that you are following appropriate employer obligations.

A new law that takes effect in July 2015 requires nearly every employer in California to allow all of its employees at least three paid sick days each year. The new law provides that employees receive an hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Caring for themselves or family members can be the reasons for taking the sick leave. Dentists should review their current sick leave policies and make sure they meet the minimum requirements of this new law.

Based on the number of calls coming in to CDA’s Practice Support, there seems to be confusion among dentists about how to pay hygienists and associates who are classified as independent contractors. The main thing for dentists to understand is the definition of an independent contractor. A true independent contractor is a provider who works independently of the owner, has a contract with the practice to perform special services and makes their own schedule.

Inquiries have increased to CDA Practice Support recently on the subject of movie licensing. Dental practices are being contacted by mail or in person by individuals seeking to collect licensing fees. Many dentists assume it is OK to play movies they have purchased in their waiting rooms, but that is not always the case.

From the latest on HIPAA compliance to how to optimize a Yelp profile, CDA has it all. As we enter 2014, let’s take a look back at the top 10 resources CDA’s Practice Support Center provided dentists in 2013.

A few Northern California public health departments are ordering mandatory flu vaccine or mask-wearing for health care workers, including dentists. The order applies to dental practices in Santa Clara, Sacramento and Contra Costa Counties.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) amended the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, creating a requirement that employers provide a notice to all employees of the existence of the newly formed insurance marketplace available to them along with information on how to contact the insurance marketplace to request assistance in purchasing coverage if the employee chooses to do so.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the long-awaited final omnibus rule under HIPAA (Omnibus Rule) on Jan. 25, 2013. The rule implements the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) and requires that health care providers amend their Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) and Business Associate Agreements to include new elements. The compliance date for the final rule is Sept. 23, 2013.

The most effective way to prevent and react to negative online reviews is to have positive communication with patients. This was the theme of the CDA-hosted webinar last week titled Bad Review? … What to Do! The one-hour, free webinar was led by TDIC Service Manager Carla Christensen. Christensen gave case examples and communication tools to handle negative online reviews.